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LunaTheHamster1 · 11-03-2022, 06:05 AM

I think it depends on the hamster and maybe the hamster species, i definitely see a difference between my robo and my syrians. For example, with Comet my robo's cage setup I still do cage themes but i learnt to keep his main wooden hid, 2 ceramic hides and 2 platforms with his sand bath and wheel on in more or less the same place. If i want to do a theme I just change out the extra hides i put in, e.g. in his sandbath he used to have a darth vadar hide and now he has a fox hide, but it's in the exact same spot. Comet doesn't really like change but he seems to accept it if a hide swops for a hide but in the same place. The middle part of the cage may change a little bit, i.e. i might move his cork log a few cms's to one side something like that, but it pretty much doesn't change otherwise.

I think with syrians (especially females) it comes down to the hamster, i think like you state there is contradictory advice because some hamsters get bored and need things to change. I do wonder what they think though when they go to bed and the cage is setup one way and when they wake up it's all changed, so I can also see why this might stress some hamsters. I think when things change in their cage it may take a day or 2 to settle again, but if you change things in a hamster run they seem to accept that really quickly.

Also, if you don't ever change anything you don't learn how to improve on things in cage setups for your hamster. Looking back over the years I think my cage setups have changed and improved a lot. If I had't ever tried to change anything I wouldn't have learnt what my hamsters like best. So, I think it's a fine balance.

Re how often you deep clean, I only ever deep clean when a hamster has passed, got weevils/bugs in the cage or a medical condition may have been caused by something in the cage. It wasn't clear to me with what you wrote, but when you are cleaning are you replacing all the bedding? if so, you really don't need to do that, just do the dirty sections i.e. where they pee and poo a lot

11-03-2022, 06:05 AM
LunaTheHamster1 Cosmic Hamsters Join Date: May 2019 Posts: 2,593	Re: Changing cage set up I think it depends on the hamster and maybe the hamster species, i definitely see a difference between my robo and my syrians. For example, with Comet my robo's cage setup I still do cage themes but i learnt to keep his main wooden hid, 2 ceramic hides and 2 platforms with his sand bath and wheel on in more or less the same place. If i want to do a theme I just change out the extra hides i put in, e.g. in his sandbath he used to have a darth vadar hide and now he has a fox hide, but it's in the exact same spot. Comet doesn't really like change but he seems to accept it if a hide swops for a hide but in the same place. The middle part of the cage may change a little bit, i.e. i might move his cork log a few cms's to one side something like that, but it pretty much doesn't change otherwise. I think with syrians (especially females) it comes down to the hamster, i think like you state there is contradictory advice because some hamsters get bored and need things to change. I do wonder what they think though when they go to bed and the cage is setup one way and when they wake up it's all changed, so I can also see why this might stress some hamsters. I think when things change in their cage it may take a day or 2 to settle again, but if you change things in a hamster run they seem to accept that really quickly. Also, if you don't ever change anything you don't learn how to improve on things in cage setups for your hamster. Looking back over the years I think my cage setups have changed and improved a lot. If I had't ever tried to change anything I wouldn't have learnt what my hamsters like best. So, I think it's a fine balance. Re how often you deep clean, I only ever deep clean when a hamster has passed, got weevils/bugs in the cage or a medical condition may have been caused by something in the cage. It wasn't clear to me with what you wrote, but when you are cleaning are you replacing all the bedding? if so, you really don't need to do that, just do the dirty sections i.e. where they pee and poo a lot __________________ Cosmic Hamsters YouTube Channel